THE NEGLECTED ROLE OF TYPE-I INTERFERON IN THE T-CELL RESPONSE - IMPLICATIONS FOR ITS CLINICAL USE

Originally described as an antiviral substance, type I interferon (IFN ) was subsequently shown to exert multiple biological effects and is n ow the most frequently used cytokine in the treatment of some viral an d neoplastic diseases. Although early studies described various effect s on the immune system, the role of type I IFN as an immunoregulatory molecule has long been neglected. Here, Filippo Belardelli and Ion Gre sser summarize recent experimental results on the interactions of type I IFN with T cells, which may prove important in its use in patients.